The Loneliness of Betrayal
by Spirit of the Ring
Summary: Takes place during Battle City. Malik's betrayal of his best friend makes Mai's worst fears come alive during their duel. Will she able to survive her ordeal or will her fears drive her to insanity? MaiXRishid
1. alone

Ah, here's a unique pairing, but I think I can grow to like it all the same. Dedicated to my amazing sister Yoli ^_^ Go check out her stories! Her penname is fOX-SPIRIT AKA Y.V. But then again, you probably found out about me through her, since she's a much better writer ^^; Anyways, I hope you enjoy this!  
  
Special thanks to Innocence Within and Maneshi for beta reading this for me ^_^  
  
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The bedroom reminded me of a hospital. I looked to my right and left, and on both sides were the only people I could even consider calling my friends. So far, they have been pretty lucky, like about ten minutes ago, when Jounouchi almost lost a duel and died because of the Sun of God, Dragon Ra. I then looked ahead of me to Ra's victim. He was just.... lying there. Malik's most loyal servant. Probably his only friend. And now...could he be dead? Is this what happens when you trust your friends? Even a big guy like him was broken so easily. He looks dead....  
  
"Poor guy..." I muttered softly. Don't know why I was taking this so hard...I don't even know him, and yet I act as if I had lost a lover. Maybe its because this is my worst fear embodied in another being. I have two big fears in this world, I admit it; even the great Mai Kujaku has fears. And no, don't you dare say one of them is a day without make-up, shallow things like that don't affect me as much as before. Being alone is definitely one of them. But I mean, isn't that everyone's biggest fear? The other...is the ones you trust and love turning and leaving you. My parents did that when they died. I just hope my new family doesn't leave me as well. That poor guy in front of me though, he just went through both of my fears. First being betrayed by that bastard Malik, and now he was all alone. Betrayed by your only friend...I wonder how that must feel...  
  
"What is his name onii-chan?"  
  
"Can't say that I know."  
  
"Does anyone know his name?"  
  
"All I know is that he was loyal to his friend, and he got hurt for it..."  
  
"All duelists report to the main deck!" I stood up and looked at my group of friends. Friends? My best friend, or was he more than that? Jounouchi Katsuya was being his typical self. I wonder if I was there to help him in his dream.... I let out a small smile. After getting struck down by the fake Ra, Jounouchi told the gang he had a dream and we were all there. We all inspired him to get up, through the bond of friendship and trust. I'm his friend, so I bet I was in that dream too! After all, you can't have a dream if Mai isn't in it.  
  
"Hey Jounouchi!" I called to him.  
  
"Err...hey Mai." He turned slowly.  
  
"Listen Jounouchi, in that dream you had...well...was I there?" Damn! Nice going Mai, now he probably thinks I like him now or something. Oh well, he's fun to tease anyways. Teenage boys, so easy to make them lose their cool. I stared at Jounouchi as he looked away from me.  
  
"Nope, not at all Mai, you were no where to be seen! Anyways, lets go the next duel is about to be announced!" He sped off after that. I grinned at his antics until I realized something...  
  
"I wasn't in his dream?" Wait... I thought the kid liked me. I thought I was his friend. Maybe I thought wrong, and manipulated myself to believe otherwise.... Alone... betrayed.... I turned to the lifeless body of the tomb keeper. I sat back down next to his body. The man was pretty tall, and had dark skin. From his features and his accent, you could tell he was Egyptian. He had no hair except for a black ponytail. His chest slowly rose as he breathed. His golden eyes were closed. His body looked much smaller without that huge cloak or robe or whatever he wore. Do we all look that weak in our slumber?  
  
"Looks like it's just you and me now, two lonely souls." He didn't reply. Figures. After all, he is unconscious. Kind of hard to reply to someone when you aren't even awake. When you are swallowed by darkness, and living alone trapped in your head, unable to see those around you. What's the point though of seeing those around you, when no one cares? Or does someone care? I thought someone cared. But so did he... I remember when I first saw the guy. For some reason I didn't get a bad vibe from him, and he certainly didn't seem like the one who would manipulate Jounouchi to duel and defeat Yuugi. I guess he was a good guy, and he was just defending his friend. We all defend our friends, whether it's a duel, or its life. I'm just glad I was able to feel the warmth of friendship, even if it was only for a bit.  
  
"Number 5! Mai Kujaku! Please report to the duel arena immediately! Your opponent will be Malik Ishtar." Did Kaiba have to make the P.A. so freaking loud? It really ruins a dramatic moment. I touched the unconscious man's hand lightly.  
  
"I'll be seeing you later, after I get revenge. You're gonna help me win this duel you know. I will take down that bastard for betraying you." I winked at him and flashed a thumbs up, though he couldn't see me. Force of habit, I suppose. "Your ass is mine, Malik."  
  
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"Mai! Be careful in this duel!"  
  
"Stay out of this! I don't need your help to win!" Gods, they are so annoying! What's with him trying to be my friend now? Besides, that guy back in the hospital is helping me win. The man without a name.... the man without any friends.  
  
"It seems that your losing, hun." Taunting your opponent was a fundamental strategy in this game; it lets you get under their skin. I was facing off against Malik Ishtar right now. Was it really Malik though? He felt...different, much darker and more ruthless than before. The noticeable difference was his hair. But hair doesn't change someone's entire personality.  
  
"Not at all my dear, this game is just beginning." He grinned at me as his eye's widened psychotically. Jounouchi and his friends were watching me duel. So far they have cheered for my triumphant turns and also yelled out words of warning, though I have done all this by myself. I'm still the great duelist I always was, and soon I will be even stronger once I add his God card to my deck!  
  
"You think just because you decided to spike your hair, you can make a mask for your true evil?! Your still as sick as you were before!"  
  
"You want to see my true evil? My true darkness?!" Suddenly the world around me was engulfed by black. My body suddenly turned very cold. What was happening? This isn't right. Wait...just think it over, it must be a hologram or something. But Malik hadn't played any magic or monster card, and I don't see what was going on... My friend's faces started disappearing behinds purple clouds. Crap! This fog was so thick about the only thing I could see was my duel disk and cards.  
  
"Tell me my dear, do you like what you see?" His arrogant smirk was hidden behind the shrouds of mist engulfing the playing field.  
  
"Actually I do, since I can't see your face anymore!" I sounded a lot braver than I felt at the moment, but hey, can't show any signs of weakness in battle.  
  
"Such temper my dear. If you're feeling so confident, then why don't you attack me?" That arrogant bastard. First, he takes control of my Dunames Valkyrie. It was because I got careless, and destroyed his Masked Beast Death Gardius without thinking, using a combination of my Mirror Wall trap card and my Dunames Valkyrie. After destroying his monster though, its special effect let Malik take my monster! I won't let him keep her though, she's mine, and she will not betray me!  
  
"I summon the Friend-Slaying Amazon to destroy my Valkyrie!" My monster leapt into the air and sliced the monster in half.  
  
"Not so tough now, are you Malik?"  
  
"Hehehe...hahahaha...HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!" I raised an eyebrow. What the hell was he laughing about?  
  
"Tell me dear, can you name your friends?" He grinned as he pointed that weird rod at me. What is that thing anyways?  
  
"Name my friends? What the hell?"  
  
"Well? Do you have any at all? HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"  
  
"Shut up! Of course I can, all five of them down there are!" I pointed at the group down on my left.  
  
"Five you say? I count six my dear."  
  
"Huh? Wait... Yuugi, Shizuka, Otogi, Honda, and Jounouchi, isn't that everyone? What kind of game are you pulling?"  
  
"You have seemed to have forgotten poor little Anzu." When he said that name, a flash of a girl with brown hair streaked across my vision. She had blue eyes and was very pretty. Her dress sense was a bit odd, wearing a tight green shirt with no sleeves and a short skirt. Adorned on her feet were blue platform shoes with stockings. She had multiple bracelets hanging from her wrists. Very provocative I must say. It shows her figure nicely. Not as good as mine though. She seemed oddly familiar, like a picture from a book read long ago. Should I know who this phantom girl is?  
  
"Anzu....?" The name seemed very familiar... I looked down...there was only one girl, and that was Jounouchi's sister.  
  
"Wait...Anzu?" Someone was faintly calling out to me, like a ghost or something. There was an empty spot down there between them all. It was like a piece missing from a jigsaw puzzle. The gang felt like it was missing something.... missing someone. It felt incomplete. Was I really going insane?  
  
"It seems," Malik taunted, "that you have lost the memory of someone close to you, and that would make sense, since in this Yami no Game, each monster holds the memory of one of the people we know. Don't you wonder why the monsters are all glowing? That is because they are not only monsters, but also parts of our memory. The Valkyrie was one of your monsters, which is why I did not lose someone, but you instead. Most unfortunate, since it would seem that she was the holder of Anzu." He grinned psychotically waving that strange Rod.  
  
"But..." I gripped my head. If what he says is true, I have to be more careful. If I'm not, I may lose someone else...someone much closer and much dearer to me... "Jounouchi..." I whispered. I can't lose him or anyone else. I have found happiness through them, and I will not lose them! If I lose my friends, I will be alone, just like that guy back in the room. I said I would take revenge, and I will. I guess I'm also doing it for me... to prove the bond of friendship is eternal. I will not allow Malik to make my darkest fears my reality!  
  
"Draw!" He drew a card as I prayed. I was alone enough. They may not be friends, but they are still company...and Jounouchi... I can't lose them. Please Kami don't let me lose someone else...  
  
"Say goodbye to another of your friends quickly, for soon one of them well become a ghost to you! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! Executioner Makyora come forth! Destroy that pathetic excuse for a monster! "  
  
"Damn you Malik!!" I screamed as the claws sunk into my Amazon. She exploded into a million shards, but the shards didn't disappear. They started to reform into a shape. Someone face...Oh no...it can't be...  
  
"Jounouchi!" I screamed as that stupid boys face grinned at me. "Don't you dare leave me!!!"  
  
"Oh my, it seems you have lost someone you really care for." He grinned. Dammit why was he always grinning?! That boy you just lost, was he special to you?"  
  
"He was...my only friend..."  
  
"Now you know what absolute darkness feels like my dear!" This can't be happening. I can't lose him...wait, whom am I losing? Someone very special...but I have no one special in my life. Was it that man who was friends with Malik? No... it was someone else... he was stupid but cute...brown eyes, or were they blue? What color was his hair? I gripped my head tightly and clenched my eyes shut. If he's so special to me, then why the hell can't I remember who he is?!  
  
"Mai! Stay focused!" Even the words of Yuugi couldn't save me. I didn't get this. I could have sworn I had more friends, more people I trusted. I could have sworn I had someone closer...I couldn't hold it in any longer, I just had to scream...  
  
"Please just let this duel end!!"  
  
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"As much as I love seeing you in bondage my dear, this will be over soon." His voice was a faint droning of noise in the background. I reached for my cards but I was bound to a tablet. What kind of sick pervert uses bondage cards?  
  
"I won't...lose."  
  
"You have already lost!" Wait...someone is trying to talk to me. What's going on? It's...like a ghost. A faint touch on my cheek...Chocolate brown eyes...messy blonde hair... Who is he? Was it someone I lost come back for me? I really hope so; I don't want to be alone anymore...  
  
"I'm...here...for you.... Mai..." Who was speaking to me? Could it be that guy lying in the bed back in the blimp? No...he's unconscious. I really have to stop thinking about him and focus on what's in front of me. Wait... that voice...it's so familiar...so soothing...so warm...  
  
"Jounouchi..." I whispered. His face suddenly appeared. Why did he look so afraid? I guess I must look worse off that I thought. After all, I had tried to summon Ra for myself, but Malik just said some words in Egyptian and God betrayed me. Malik then used some weird cuff cards and bounded me to a stone, but not without taking some of my life points with it. It hurt like hell, but what was more painful was the humiliation of being tied up by the guy I was supposed to be killing. Then, Jounouchi came along for me. I smiled. Finally, he was here for me, the person who I considered a friend, but.... he didn't think of me as one... my smile quickly faded.  
  
"Mai, I'm so glad your safe! I just wanted to tell you that I do..." His voice was fading. What did he want to tell me? He looked so sweet. He felt so warm, yet he doesn't even like me. Was he apologizing? Hehe, Jounouchi apologizing, now I know I've gone crazy. I looked over his shoulder to see God. Ra was facing me. Could I escape? Maybe even forfeit the duel...No, I won't. I can't. The man in the bed is counting on me to win this. I will win this for him. I will win this for myself  
  
"Mai, I won't let him hurt you!" A small smile returned to my face. I guess he was my friend after all. It's getting so dark though...despite the giant fireball coming right at my face. Hopefully it would hit soon...it was so warm, contrast to all the darkness around me.  
  
"Mai! Jounouchi-kun!" Someone ran in front of us when Ra attacked. Who was it...everything is so blurry...  
  
"Yuugi!" Don't scream in my face Jounouchi...it's so rude...  
  
Suddenly, Jounouchi's weight was lifted off me. I guess Yuugi must be pretty hurt...Hope that kid's okay. Hurry up and help him Jounouchi, so you can come back to me. Malik...he began walking this way...paralyzing Jounouchi...bastard...unsheathing his strange rod that he waves around...something about killing me.... no....  
  
"You think it's dark now, you have yet to see absolute night. Soon, you will forget what light is; you will forget everything, even how to breathe. It's been fun my dear!" A light flashed and my thoughts became blank.  
  
"I'm sorry, I failed you...."  
  
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That's part one, and part 2 will come shortly! I know not much romance so far, but don't you guys wanna see how the story turns out? =P I think the next part will be the last, and if not, it'll definitely end at part 3. Hope you guys have enjoyed this so far ^_^ 


	2. Companionship

The last part to this mini-fic! Thanks for reading everyone

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"Race you to the water onii-chan!"  
  
"Alright Sis, your on!" I opened my eyes slowly. A blue sky...good, no more darkness. I tried to get to my feet but hit my head.  
  
"OW DAMMIT!" I rubbed my head softly. Where am I? I looked down and...WHAT THE HELL?! A BEACH?!?!  
  
"What happened to the duel?" I suddenly realized I was suspended above the beach in some sort of glass prism. I felt the sides gently. Yea, it was definitely glass, and judging by the distance to the ground, I'd rather not break it. This really sucks, what am I supposed to do in a glass jar above a beach while my friends play below me? I guess I could get a tan, but I'm not in my bathing suit! I guess I could take off my clothes and....on the other hand, Jounouchi would have a field day, so that's out of the question.  
  
"Enjoying the view my dear?" I jerked my head to the right and floating in mid air was a very smug looking Malik Ishtar. He too was looking at my friends. My eyes widened in fear as he turned his eagle-like gaze towards me.  
  
"Malik... what have you done to me?!"  
  
"They look happy down there, don't they?"  
  
"My friends?"  
  
"Yes, it looks like they are happy. Perfectly happy without you!" He started cackling.  
  
"No..." Malik spoke no lies though. Everyone was laughing. Yuugi, Honda, even Jounouchi was smiling and laughing. Had I been forgotten so easily?  
  
"Unfortunately my dear, I have more people to kill than just you, so if you will excuse me, I'll be taking back Ra now!" He reached to my cage and pulled out the Sun of God, Dragon Ra. A trickle of sand started to fall. Looking up, I saw that this wasn't just a glass prism...  
  
"Its an hourglass!" I shouted  
  
"My my, someone went to school." He said sarcastically. I clenched by fists while he grinned at my frustration. I held out my palm as the sand slowly trickled upon it. "This is indeed a hourglass. It will continue to pour down, and as more sand enters the bottom, the more you will forget until you will have forgotten the most basic things, how to eat, how to sleep, how to make your heart beat, how to breathe! You will die here Kujaku Mai! In 24 hours you will die!!"  
  
Malik you bastard!!" He was gone though before I even spoke. I pounded on the glass but all I got from it was two very sore hands. Letting out a sigh, I looked down again. My friends still splashed and played in the water. Anzu was standing next to Yuugi while Honda and Otogi were trying to dunk one another. Jou and Shizuka just splashed each other playfully. I wish one of them would look up and see me. Then they could try to help me... try to save me, because they are my friends.  
  
"Yuugi! Anzu! Jounouchi! Please look up!" I was going to scream myself hoarse at this rate. Of course they didn't look. Sinking down, I banged my head repeatedly on the glass. Those probably weren't even my friends, just illusions that Malik created just to torture me. This was all so insane...

* * *

I suddenly snapped my head awake. The sand was now a little more than halfway up my shins. I had to be careful not to fall asleep again, anything can happen to you while your sleeping.  
  
"Come on sis, let's go home." I looked down and saw that everyone was leaving the beach. Why though? They were so close to me. Suddenly, a mix of fear and anger overtook me and I began shouting and banging on the glass furiously.  
  
"JOU!!! DON'T GO!!! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!!!!" Tears began welling in my eyes as I collapsed. They didn't hear me. He didn't hear me. Wait.... His head was turning around and...YES! He was looking right at me! I waved my arms frantically.  
  
"Jounouchi! Jou!" He is staring at me! Jo-... he looked away. He couldn't see me. A tear rolled down my cheek as my friends left the beach, its sun setting turning the sky from blue to orange.  
  
"I...give up." The world went black.

* * *

"Ow..." I woke up to find the fact my legs were buried in sand. Damn...at this rate I'm going to die! That damn bastard... wait... who did this to me? How am I even here? I clenched my head in my hand and closed my eyes tightly. I had to remember. It happened just a few freaking hours ago! All right, calm down Mai. This isn't going to do any good if you keep freaking out. I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm myself. If I couldn't remember, then I couldn't kill him. If I can't remember...then I'll die. I have to try harder to remember so I can live to see another day. I have to... what was I trying to remember?  
  
"Dammit!! Dammit all to hell! I give up... I give the hell up..." I fell on the glass and slowly slid down until I was sitting on the cold hard floor. "Don't give up Kujaku Mai. You are stronger than this." My head snapped upwards. Did someone just speak to me? The voice was deep and masculine, so it couldn't possibly be mine. I looked down and same result, no one was there.  
  
"Hello...?" I called out but it was silent. I could have sworn there was a voice telling me I was strong... to not give up. The voice was familiar though.  
  
"Kujaku Mai, do not give up." I couldn't grasp who it was. His voice though, it was so calm, so reassuring, so soothing. No way Jounouchi or anyone his age could muster a voice like that. Suddenly, the ghostly image of a man drifted down and settled itself right outside the glass. He was in dark robes and his face was covered. It was a GHOUL!  
  
"Kujaku Mai." The rare hunter spoke with that same low voice as before. He was a tall man with broad shoulders. The figure lifted up his head and...  
  
"Your...that man from the blimp." I vaguely remembered the face that was staring at me. His golden eyes were exotic and pierced mine. Around his were dark lines. He wasn't particularly handsome but not bad looking either. Two golden earrings adorned his ears. What made him stand out though was his tattoo. It covered the left side of his face. The tattoo itself was many small figures like birds and snakes. I think it was a different language. The thing was up close; the marks didn't look very cleanly done. It was as if someone who only made a half effort did the tattoo... or he did it himself. Why was he here though?  
  
"Yes, I am. My mind has been imprisoned as well."  
  
"How...are you able to communicate with me?" I asked him.  
  
"I am used to the powers of the Sennen rod through scriptures as well as my master using it all the time. We were trained to travel through the astral plane when unconscious through strict meditation, and I seem to have entered your mind. Please forgive me."  
  
"Your...master?"  
  
"Yes, master Malik. I apologize for his actions and the penalty you suffer now, I will fix his wrongs though."  
  
"Malik...fix his wrongs?"  
  
"Yes, I will keep you alive to the best of my abilities. Its what... the real Malik would have wanted."  
  
"Real... Malik?" This was all so confusing. At least I now remember the name of the monster that imprisoned me.  
  
"Yes, the Malik that sent you here was probably his evil half. Malik was only able to suppress it because of me, but since now I am... incapacitated, I cannot stop the evil."  
  
"Why... are you helping me?"  
  
"Its just the right thing to do." He tried to put his hand on my shoulder but it just went through. I let out a small laugh as he grinned sheepishly. I reached for his hand but I realized my hands were buried now. A lot more sand had entered the chamber since me and... and... what is his name?  
  
"What's your name...?"  
  
"My name is Rishid"  
  
"Rishid..." He has a nice name...its exotic.  
  
"Please Miss Kujaku, reserve your strength to fight off the spell. You have to survive until your friends are able to pull through."  
  
"Friends..." Everything was becoming blurry. I couldn't move and inch of my body except breathe. Even that was becoming hard...  
  
"Mai! Live for your friends! Live so I can keep the promise I made to you..." I couldn't breathe. What was breathing anyways? I couldn't...everything was cold...I couldn't move....  
  
"You must live Mai! Survive so my promise is fulfilled!" I saw a huge golden beast, the same one that attacked me. All these monsters were attacking it. Two more gigantic creatures, a snake and some sort of monster were holding it. I heard a scream as the creature died. I couldn't live any longer... 

"Goodbye Malik, goodbye Isis, goodbye Rishid," Yuugi called after his new friends as they waved back. In his arms he held the newly obtained Sennen rod as well as the Sennen ring. I stood behind him and watched. Turns out Yuugi was able to beat Malik and save my life. I'm grateful that he was. I didn't look at Rishid and I knew he wasn't looking at me either. It was awkward, since no one knew what happened between us while I was dying. Did it even happen or was it my imagination?  
  
"Goodbye Yuugi, I apologize for my actions again. I know it can't be forgiven, but I am sorry." Their boat was about to leave. I had to find out if it was real or not. I ran up to him as he turned around to face me.  
  
"Rishid, I have to know if-" I was cut off when he placed a finger on my lips. His golden eyes pierced my own as he spoke in that calm soothing voice, the same voice that gave me hope.  
  
"What happens in a dream has yet to occur in reality. Do not thank me for something that didn't happen on this plane." I giggled as a puzzled look crossed his face. I pulled his down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He touched his cheek with a shocked but no doubt pleased expression on his face.  
  
"I'll be sure to get in trouble again so you can rescue me." I winked at the man as I made my way to the car.

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There, its finished! Sorry it took so long ; Hope you like it sis! 


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